The best nursing advice you've ever received

[findingmywayRN]

I was just thinking back to the advice and wisdom I'd received over the years and laughed at how true so much of it was!

Can anyone post the best nursing advice they've been given here?

Here are some of my favorites:

1. You control the room, the room doesn't control you

2. The best doctors are the ones who listen to nurses

3. Always trust your instincts

4. Never suction anything with your mouth open

Anyone else?

[epinephRN]

For new nurses:

If in doubt of what to do- wash your hands and take a set of vitals, and ask for help.

If no pulse/no resp and you freeze up --> call code, start compressions/bagging pt. Someone will come!

The thing you spend all night worrying about after your first few shifts is unlikely to happen.

[carebearsRN]

standing up all day can be tiring, never give up your seat if you ever find one or else the next person will take it :]

[Jiminocala]

Problems don't solve themselves.

Never make it look like you did nothing about a problem.

Document everything.

Don't c/o about the coffee, you may be old and weak yourself someday.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

Your pts care can be seen in their tongues,heels and bums.

If the first is furry with thrush and the other 2 broken it doesn't matter that there fluid balance is spot on and that they have had vitals every 4 hours and all their drugs are done.............you haven't CARED for you pt. you have treated the disease and not looked at the whole person.

[RNTwin]

from a 25+yr nurse, "keep your pt clean, room clean, address the family as soon as they walk in the room, and given them some "plan of the day and accomplish it" and they'll think your the best nurse ever"

from the same nurse, "it's the ILLUSION of great care"

same nurse, "never get emotionally tied to these people, b/c there is another pt waiting at the door"

yes this nurse, was AWESOME, knew her stuff backwards and forwards, and pts and family loved her...

[dnbrosen]

The best advice I ever got as a new grad(31 years ago!) was to call the MD--didn't matter what time of the day or night--he can decide if it was necessary.

Always treat your patient as if they were your favorite relative.

[14togo]

. pay attention to the leittle things

. do not worry about the things you can't control

.never take the counsel of your fears

[NurseArtist]

Always check to be sure the lid is securely on the Milk of Magnesia bottle before you shake it.

[jreno]

There are three shifts because we can't do it all in one.

[Tina1968]

My first semester clinical instructor told me:

1. Walk into the patient's room like you own it, your patient will take comfort in your confidence.

2. Document everything immediately because if you do not, YOU WILL forget. You need to cover yourself and you need to keep your patient safe at all times.

My own advice from my experiences:

1. Treat everyone with respect and kindness, it always comes back to you.

2. Write everything down, and do not hesitate to ask questions, no matter how stupid you think they are!

[brighella]

Don't spend a lot of money on scrubs, because there are those days when you will be covered with who knows what and throwing them away becomes the best choice.

Spend the money you save on your scrubs on the best pairs of shoes you can find.

[azhiker96, BSN, RN]

Passed to me from a nurse I admire and respect who's been in the profession for more than 3 decades:

Our patients survive in spite of what we do to them.

Document so that someone reading the chart can visualize the patient.

Set healthy boundaries.